Yellow Layer Cake with Chocolate Buttercream

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This delicious Yellow Butter Cake is rich, buttery, and moist. Topped with creamy Chocolate Buttercream makes the perfect birthday cake recipe.

This Yellow Butter Cake recipe is the ultimate in simple vanilla cakes. The cake is rich, buttery, and super moist; a true crowd-pleaser. The batter makes a lovely double or triple layer cake perfect for a birthday or a sheet cake for a small gathering. And for novice bakers, it’s one of the easiest recipes to follow. The butter cream is also rich and very creamy. It’s a basic American buttercream with heavy cream added to make it extra fluffy.

Yellow cake ingredients

All-purpose flour– This recipe is so moist and fluffy because the flour ratios are very precise. You will need to weigh or scoop and level your flour. There’s a tutorial for it found HERE.
Baking powder
Salt
Salted butter– Salted butter it the key to the amazing taste of this cake. The vanilla and butter extract are more pronounced in the cake when using salted butter or unsalted.
Canola oil– The extra bit of canola oil adds a bit more moisture to the crumb.
Sugar
Whole eggs
Egg yolks– Using egg yolks with whole eggs gives the cake color and a more silky texture. You could add a drop or two of yellow food dye for a deeper color.
Vanilla extract
Butter extract
Buttermilk– The buttermilk is mixed with a teaspoon of baking soda to give the cake more lift. It helps the cake to be less dense.
Baking soda

How to Make Yellow Butter Cake

Start by adding the baking soda to the buttermilk and stirring it well. Follow with sifting the flour, baking powder, and salt together and setting it aside.

Then cream the very soft butter, canola oil, sugar, and flavoring extracts together until smooth. Next, beat in the eggs and yolks one at a time.

The final step is to alternate adding the flour and milk.

Start by adding one-third of the flour, half the milk, and repeat ending with the flour.

Pour the batter into a buttered and floured or lined cake pan. Bake at 325° for 24-28 minutes.

This recipe will yield 3 8” rounds, 2 9” rounds, a 9×13 rectangle, or 24 regular cupcakes. Cool completely before frosting.

Chocolate buttercream

Making chocolate buttercream is very simple. You will need a mixer to whip the heavy cream. The extra whipping makes it fluffy.

Start by melting and cooling butter in a mixing bowl. Stir in vanilla, salt, and cocoa powder into the butter until smooth. Add the mixture to a stand mixer and slowly beat in the powdered sugar alternating with the heavy cream. Once the powdered sugar is incorporated, whip on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until fluffy. Frost the cakes generously with the icing.

More icing recipes to try

Almond Cream Cheese Buttercream
Strawberry Cream Cheese Buttercream

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5 from 4 votes

Yellow Butter Cake with Chocolate Buttercream

Print Recipe

This delicious Yellow Butter Cake is rich, buttery, and moist. Topped with creamy Chocolate Buttercream makes the perfect birthday cake recipe.

Prep Time:15 mins

Cook Time:24 mins

Total Time:39 mins

Ingredients

• 3 c all-purpose flour (360 grams)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 c salted butter (3 sticks) very soft
• 1/4 c canola oil
• 2 c sugar
• 2 whole eggs
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp butter extract
• 1 1/2 c buttermilk

Chocolate Buttercream

• 4 1/2 c powdered sugar
• 1 c unsalted butter melted (2 stick)
• 2/3 c cocoa powder
• 1 c heavy cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp salt optional

Instructions

• To the buttermilk add the baking soda and set aside. Next, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside as well.
• Cream together the butter, sugar, canola oil, and vanilla extract, followed by the eggs and yolks one at a time.
• Alternate adding the flour and milk. Start by adding one-third of the flour, half the buttermilk mixture, and repeat ending with the flour to the creamed butter.
• Pour the batter into 3-8” round buttered and floured cake pans. Bake at 325° 24-28 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely on baking racks before frosting.

Chocolate Buttercream

• Whip the melted butter, vanilla, salt, and cocoa powder until smooth. Add the chocolate mixture to a stand mixer and slowly beat in the powdered sugar alternating with the heavy cream. Once the powdered sugar is incorporated, whip on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until fluffy. Frost the cakes generously with the icing.

Notes

Do not over mix the batter. Turn your hand-mixer or stand-mixer on low speed when you begin add the flour and buttermilk.

Nutrition

Serving: 0g | Calories: 465kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 112mg | Sodium: 292mg | Potassium: 137mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 40g | Iron: 1mg

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: buttercream, cake, chocolate, vanilla

Servings: 24 Servings

Calories: 465kcal

Author: Ty